Before the invention of modern electronics, hearing loss was mitigated with passive funnel-like amplification cones known as ear trumpets or ear horns. Today, many hearing aids are electro-acoustic devices that are designed to actively amplify and modulate sounds for a wearer. For example, a hearing aid may simply amplify all received sound or may selectively amplify certain frequencies of sound.
Hearing aids can be various shapes and sizes and may be present in various configurations can include portions that are held in and around the ear. Some hearing aids are designed to reside within the ear canal or even be anchored to bone. Regardless of configuration, hearing aids typically comprise a microphone, a speaker (receiver), a battery, and electronic circuitry. Audio processing may be digital or analog and control circuitry may be adjustable or programmable.
Examples of such devices include U.S. Pat. No. 2,017,358, entitled “Hearing Aid Apparatus and Amplifier”; U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,721 entitled “Method of and means for adaptively filtering near-stationary noise from speech”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,082, entitled “Hearing aids, signal supplying apparatus, systems for compensating hearing deficiencies, and methods”
Because users prefer unobtrusive devices, hearing aids are typically small units, which likewise have tiny controls and coupling points. Unfortunately, this makes adjustment and programming of these devices difficult. For example, some hearing aids have small physical adjustment or programming interfaces such as knobs or switches. These interfaces are difficult to use because of their small size, which is especially problematic for users with disabilities or advanced age.
Some hearing aids can be programmed by a connection to a computer or other device, which is typically achieved via a wire. Such programming systems are also deficient because many users will have difficulty connecting such a device to their hearing aid because the connection points are so small. Moreover, such physical connections are dangerous because programming occurs while the hearing aid is being worn, and users can accidently pull a hearing aid out of their ear while it is attached coupled to a wire, or even damage the wire or wire coupling if the wire is pulled.
To remedy the problems associated with wired connections, some hearing aids are operable to be programmed wirelessly. However, hearing aids that are capable of wireless communication are typically heavier and bulkier than hearing aids that utilize wired connections. Additionally, wireless-enabled hearing aids also tend to be more expensive than other types of hearing aids. Lastly, wireless-enabled hearing aids consume battery power at a higher rate, meaning the frequency of battery replacement is increased, and the usable continuous time of the hearing aid is reduced.
Regardless of how an earpiece is programmed, a user is typically not able to program a hearing aid themselves because of the deficiencies discussed above relating to wire coupling or manipulation of small controls. Moreover, many hearing aids are not even designed to be programmed by a user because of these very issues. Accordingly, an audiologist is usually required to program hearing aids along with associated direct or indirect labor costs. Naturally, having to engage an audiologist in hearing aid programming is cumbersome for users, and makes it difficult to address hearing aid issues immediately. For example, audiologists have limited working hours and availability and are therefore unable to adjust a user's hearing aid during non-business hours or may not have open appointments that suit a user's schedule.